Provides funding for a pilot drug treatment program.

A BILL FOR AN ACT

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that due to the dramatic increase in substance abuse cases, and the resulting increase in the number of incarcerated people with drug abuse problems, alternatives to dealing with the drug-abusing offender are necessary. While drug treatment is an important aspect of reintegration into the community, rehabilitation programs must prepare incarcerated persons for life in the community.

The legislature also finds that a disproportionate number of incarcerated persons are of Native Hawaiian ancestry, and that they have cultural and employment needs that are at a crisis level. The legislature further finds that members of the community are willing to train inmates to learn about Native Hawaiian heritage and skills, such as uhau humu pohaku, or dry-stacked rock construction, which are needed and marketable in the community at large due the growing need for cultural preservation projects. This is a win-win situation as education about Native Hawaiian heritage and culture in conjunction with training in skills can produce inmates who are highly trained and motivated to reintegrate into the greater community. The purpose of this Act is to implement a pilot project within the department of public safety at Kulani Prison for inmates seeking drug treatment combining education in Native Hawaiian heritage and culture and training in the art of uhau humu pohaku.

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $_______, or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2006-2007, for the purpose of implementing a pilot project within the department of public safety at Kulani Prison for inmates seeking drug treatment combining education in Native Hawaiian heritage and culture and training in the art of uhau humu pohaku, or Hawaiian dry-stack masonry.

SECTION 3. The sum appropriated shall be expended by the department for public safety for the purposes of this Act; provided that the project shall be available to those inmates who are eligible for drug treatment and that the department of public safety and the department of commerce and consumer affairs execute a memorandum of understanding allowing time spent in the program to be credited towards any time requirement for a masonry license.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2006.